Chapter 13

He'd been working on his calculations in the poor lighting of the Kheprian ship for three hours straight now, and Rodney was starting to see double. He leaned back and pinched at the bridge of his nose before stretching out the kinks in his back. After being bent over his data pad off since around six o-clock this morning he felt like his vertebrae had fused in place. It was now almost 1:00pm, and other than a break at around ten in the morning to answer the call of nature and take on refreshments, he'd barely moved a muscle. Maybe it was time for a break.

He reached over to the seat beside him and picked up the lunch one of the Birajans had packed for him this morning. He wasn't sure what any of it was…didn't even like the flavour of most things in it, but it filled him up and kept him going…plus, it was a massive step up from the slop he'd eaten for six months at Phylacos, so he was willing to compromise on taste. There were a couple of pieces of fruit in with his meal. One had a pitted skin and when he sniffed at it, he thought it had a distinctly citrus-based aroma. Best to leave that one aside then, he figured. There was plenty of other stuff to keep him going.

As Rodney bit into his bread cake, a thick and chewy item with a slightly sour aftertaste, he contemplated what he'd learned about the Kheprian time dilation drive. In all honesty, the only solid fact he had grasped was that time dilation was a pain in the ass, and he could see why travelling back in time was such an inexact art.

In a way, time dilation travel was not unlike Stargate travel. The dilation drive created a wormhole through which to travel, but it also, at the same time, changed the speed at which time moved at the active end of the wormhole to create a temporal adjustment…a similar effect that Sheppard had experienced when thrown fifty thousand years into the future by a solar flare.

This was, he had learned, a far more accurate process when travelling into the future, hence the Kheprians being able to come and go back to the Pegasus here and now with no problem. They were able to leave temporal markers…anchor points which they could direct the wormhole back to in order to return to the correct time and place. But they had arrived at Earth in numerous different time frames judging by the many humans they'd spoken too after rescuing them from Phylacos. He estimated that Mishta and Lansha's father himself had been from the eighteen hundreds, early nineteen hundreds at the latest from the few clues they'd tossed them in conversation, and from the ragged clothes some of the other poor confused and traumatised folks had been wearing, not to mention their use of obsolete and archaic words in their limited dialogue, he figured some of them might have been from further back in Earth's history even than that. Rodney imagined what they'd seen since being abducted from Earth must had seemed akin to witchcraft to some of the poor imbeciles.

So, the key was finding the exact right algorithm to let the dilation drive pick a spot in history and head straight to it, give or take a day or two at most. Preferably hours. It was considerably easier to go forward in time using the laws of special relativity, but backwards…that was messy and haphazard and so damn near impossible a problem to solve as it was driving him nuts. Figuring out just how much negative mass and energy the wormhole would require to deliver each of the humans back at a moment that wouldn't affect the timeline going forward was proving too elusive even for his genius right now.

He contemplated the dilemma a while longer as he finished up his meal, swigging from a flask of water once he was done to wash it all down. Hunger sated, he got to his feet to stretch out his aching limbs and decided that, though the strength of the sunlight on this planet wasn't exactly ideal for his fair complexion, a few minutes of fresh air to give his vitamin D levels a boost wouldn't do him any real harm.

Taking a wander outside of the Kheprian vessel revealed a bustling scene, work to retrieve anything vital and useful from ground zero of the Phylacos explosion still being undertaken with great gusto. He watched from a safe distance as the Kheprians worked, impressed with their industriousness. It was hard not to feel an involuntary sense of dread from time to time when he recalled how they had oppressed everyone in Phylacos, but they were more than making up for their previous behaviours now, even though that had all been beyond their control.

A crane they had set up to hoist out heavy pieces of masonry from the compound was currently lifting a huge section of floor out to give them access to lower levels they had thus far been unable to reach. As it swung aside, Rodney noticed an uptick in excited chatter, and the majority of the Kheprians now gathered at the edge of the drop, looking down into the crater. He wondered what had piqued their interest.

A moment later, Hakkar called over to him. 'Dr McKay…you might want to take a look at this.'

He'd been hoping for an invitation and started a slow jog across the site. 'What is it?'

'We're not sure…we don't remember where it came from. Is it something you recognise?'

Rodney slowed as he neared the drop, feeling a little queasy as he peeked over the edge into the deep pit beyond it. His heart almost leapt into his mouth, and a grin spread across his face so wide it made his jaw ache when he saw what had captured their attention.

'Do you recognise it, Dr McKay,' Hakkar asked, arriving beside him.

'Oh yeah,' he nodded, shielding his eyes from the sun to get a better look at it. 'And I know someone else who is going to be very, very happy to see it too.'

oooOOOooo

'Where have you been? Why did you take so long?'

Sheppard felt a sense of over-crowding again the minute he and Ronon returned to their designated area of the caves. Jemma almost knocked the bowls of broth from his hands as she grabbed onto him, pulling him further into the cave as if she feared he might run away again.

'Hey! Relax…relax…we just had a few things to sort out,' Sheppard assured her, shrugging her hands off him. 'Careful, you're gonna make me spill it.'

He held one bowl out toward her, and she tentatively took it from him, returning to his bed to sit down and eat. Not sure he felt comfortable sitting beside her, Sheppard leaned against the wall to make a start on his own meal. He was famished since he hadn't managed to eat much breakfast before leaving for market. He wasn't going to let a lack of seating stop him from taking his fill.

Ronon passed a dish to Mehra, too. 'Ummm, smells good,' she cooed, digging in with gusto.

'So, what did you two talk about?' Sheppard asked, looking to Mehra for an answer. He knew she would understand the chat had been about intelligence gathering as much as a means to put Jemma at her ease. Hopefully she'd found out something useful about their strange little companion.

'Not much,' Mehra mumbled, talking between mouthfuls. 'I was telling Jemma about me being a Marine, but she couldn't remember much about herself other than her time in Phylacos, so she doesn't know what she used to do.'

'How long were you in Phylacos?' Ronon asked, unusually joining in on the conversation. His interest wasn't lost on Sheppard. Ronon rarely questioned people like Jemma, more than aware that his sheer size was more than enough intimidation without an inquisition to add to the pressure.

Jemma shrugged her slight shoulders, the bones in her shoulder blades acutely protruding under her flimsy tunic. 'I don't know…a long time.'

'Weeks…months…years?' Mehra coaxed, trying to get a little more detail.

'Years…yes, I think it was years,' Jemma nodded, slurping up another spoonful of broth.

Sheppard flicked his gaze toward Ronon, who looked just as uneasy as he felt now at her answers. 'How old were you when you were taken?' Sheppard pressed.

Again, she shrugged her bony shoulders. 'I don't remember.'

He couldn't stop a frown etching itself into his brow. 'Were you at high school? Or college?' he pressed.

'College.'

It was her first clear answer, though it seemed to contradict her suggestion she'd been imprisoned for years. Unless, of course, she was older than she looked. He supposed malnutrition could have stunted her development. 'What did you study?'

She frowned. 'I…I don't –'

'Remember,' Mehra finished for her, not bothering to mask her frustration. 'Like I said, she doesn't remember much.'

Sheppard ate some more of his broth in silence, pondering the strange young woman they'd rescued. Either she was incredibly private, or she'd experienced some kind of psychotic break and her brain was refusing to let her remember anything from her earlier existence to keep the horrors at bay. He hoped it was the former, but had a sinking feeling it was the latter.

'What do you do, John?' she unexpectedly asked, taking him by surprise.

He blinked at her, thrown by her sudden interest. He figured it was a good sign and he should keep the conversation going. 'I was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force.'

After a pause to contemplate that, she replied, 'That sounds important,' she tipped her bowl to her mouth to drink down what was left of her meal, then swiped her hand across her lips once done. 'So, you protect people?'

'Yeah, that's part of it,' he nodded, giving her a smile.

For the first time she returned it. 'Then I'm in good hands at last.'

'I'm in the Marines. I protect people, too,' Mehra piped up.

'And Ronon was a Specialist in the Satedan military,' Sheppard added. 'We can all take care of you.'

Jemma's gaze flicked to the others, but quickly returned to him. 'I feel safest with you.'

Again, Mehra rolled her eyes, but this time it was accompanied by a knowing smirk. 'How about we get you cleaned up?' she suggested to Jemma, pushing up to her feet. 'I bet we could beg you some new clothes, too. They have this fantastic pool of warm spring water. You'll love it.'

'Will you come?' Jemma instantly asked Sheppard.

He fish-mouthed a moment, colour rushing to his cheeks. 'That wouldn't be appropriate. Mehra will take good care of you. You'll be fine.'

'Come on, kid. Let's go find some kind Birajan with a few clothes to spare,' Mehra encouraged, grabbing her wrist and tugging her to her feet. 'You'll feel like a million dollars once we're done. Trust me.'

'Okay,' Jemma murmured, looking puzzled as she passed Sheppard on her way out the exit. Mehra just winked at him and grinned like a Cheshire Cat.

Relaxing the moment Jemma walked out, Sheppard allowed himself to take the weight off his tired legs at last. He rubbed his face, feeling the several days of stubble growth scrape against his palms. 'That is one screwed up kid,' he breathed, looking Ronon's way.

Ronon gave him a lop-sided smile, his eyes sparkling. 'She likes you.'

'You noticed that,' he huffed, shaking his head. 'Why do I have the feeling life just got a whole lot more complicated?'

'We should ship her to Balsandar with the other humans,' Ronon replied, throwing back the last of his broth. 'She'd be safer with them than anyone here.'

'True,' Sheppard nodded. 'Only I don't think she's going to take too kindly to that idea.'

Ronon shrugged. 'It's for her own good.'

Shepard nodded. 'I know, but you saw how much she freaked out when I left her for a few minutes.'

'Let her. Then she'll get over it.'

'Maybe,' Sheppard mused. What had started out as the right thing to do had pretty quickly become a headache. 'Or she'll have some kind of breakdown.'

Ronon fixed him with an earnest stare. 'Not your problem. You have enough to worry about.'

That struck a chord with him, Ronon's quiet concern moving him more than he'd realised it would. 'Yeah…I guess.' But he wasn't used to putting his own needs first. That just wasn't his way.

The sound of a throat clearing behind him interrupted them. Lansha stood in the opening to their chamber. 'Could I have a moment?'

'Sure, come on in,' Sheppard replied, waving him in.

The hybrid entered, casting Ronon a glance from the corner of his eye as he passed him. The Satedan merely smirked. Lansha had always avoided direct conversation with him and clearly Ronon knew he was a little scared of him.

'I'm sorry to intrude, but Mishta and I have been speaking…'

Sheppard narrowed his eyes, instantly suspicious of where this conversation was headed. 'Oh, yeah?'

'We both agree that perhaps you should not relocate to the caves today. Your young friend seems quite unsettled and moving her again so soon might be too stressful for her.'

'Uh huh,' Sheppard hummed, trying not to laugh. 'And…this was your idea?'

Lansha swallowed nervously, glancing between the two of them and edging just a little further away from Ronon. 'Well, Mishta was the one who first thought of it, but I have to agree with her. That poor girl has been through a lot. This is likely the first safe place she has been in for weeks. It couldn't hurt to let her rest and get used to you all before another upheaval.'

Sheppard couldn't help but let the smile creep onto his face now. 'It's kind of Mishta to worry. But I have a feeling Jemma will be fine just as long as she's with us.'

'Then perhaps for your own sake you should rest today. You look exhausted and…Mishta told me you were deeply troubled by killing the incomplete human. One more day of allowing us to watch over you will surely make no difference?'

Sheppard's smile slipped, and he felt Ronon's eyes drilling into him. He looked his friend's way, and Ronon arched an eyebrow, his way of silently saying he thought Lansha was making a good point. He sighed and admitted defeat. 'Fine…we'll leave tomorrow.'

'Good,' Lansha beamed, rubbing his hands together with glee. 'That will give us more time to gather whatever you might need. If you want to make a list, you can dictate it into this,' he pulled something from his pocket and handed it to Sheppard. 'Just press the button and speak, it will record you. We'll provide whatever we can.'

'Thanks,' Sheppard said, taking it from him and turning it over in his hands. Just as Lansha was about to leave, he called after him. 'Oh, and be sure to thank Mishta for her concern. Jemma and I appreciate it.'

Lansha forced on a smile that he obviously didn't feel. 'Of course. Rest up and we'll see you for the evening meal.'

He hurried out, and Sheppard slipped the recorder into his left breast pocket for safe keeping until they'd had time to discuss their needs as a group. He stretched out on his mattress, finally acknowledging the bone-deep fatigue he'd been trying to ignore. 'I'm just going to catch up on some sleep,' he slurred, barely getting the words out before he slipped into unconsciousness…

…'Sheppard! Sheppard! Wake up! You gotta see what we found!'

McKay's excited yells snapped him back into wakefulness instantly, his heart pounding and system flooding with adrenalin. 'McKay? What's wrong?'

'Nothing...nothing at all. Come and see.' The scientist was grinning like a kid at Christmas, and Sheppard was intrigued enough to push aside his tiredness and agree to follow him.

Ronon offered a hand and hauled him to his feet. 'How long was I asleep?'

'About five minutes,' Ronon grunted, casting McKay a filthy look. 'I told him it could wait.'

'What?' McKay spat, suddenly defensive as he backed out the doorway. 'I knew he'd want to see this.'

McKay's enthusiasm was contagious, so Sheppard put the sudden rush of adrenalin he was experiencing to good use and set off in his wake. They headed into the docking area and out into the small clearing bordering the cave mouth, walking on into the tree line beyond. It took some fifteen minutes or so to reach the next clearing, one much larger than the first, where a Kheprian vessel had landed its great bulk. A hatchway dropped down at their approach and Hakkar strode out to meet them. He couldn't smile, but there was something decidedly cheery about his demeanour as he greeted them and gestured for them to follow him aboard.

Sheppard exchanged a puzzled glance with Ronon, then struck out to board the ship. When he entered the cargo hold the sight that met his eyes took his breath away. There, in all its glory, sat the puddle jumper they had been abducted in all those months ago.

His jaw dropped and he gaped in silent joy.

'It's not fully operational,' McKay swiftly explained, tapping into a data pad and ordering the rear hatch to open. 'But with a few minor adjustments and some parts kindly donated by our Kheprian friends, I should have her up and running relatively soon.'

Sheppard half-heard what McKay said as he walked into the jumper, running his hands over her smooth lines and surfaces as he made his way to the pilot seat. There was a low-level hum of connection, but it was muted by her lack of critical systems. She felt like an injured animal clinging to life. He felt a pang of sadness, but he knew McKay could pull her back from the brink.

'I'm guessing Akalus needed the parts for her crazy project,' McKay continued to explain as he opened an overhead hatch, various wires unravelling and dangling down from it as he did so. 'We couldn't find any of the missing parts yet, but as repairs go, this one isn't so hard. Hakkar says he'll help.'

'It's great, Rodney. You did good,' Sheppard breathed, revelling in the familiarity of the feel of his beautiful ship. He'd missed this so much. He couldn't wait to fly her. He'd thought he would die without ever having the chance to fly a jumper again.

Hakkar ducked into the hatch, his great bulk blocking out most of the light. 'There's something else you should see.'

Sheppard turned his chair around, quirking an eyebrow. 'More? Lead the way.'

Hakkar backed out and headed around to the front of the jumper. When they joined him, they saw a crate on the floor at his feet. When he activated the lid to make it slide back, Sheppard felt a surge of satisfaction which was echoed by Ronon's joyous, 'Yes!'

Inside were their weapons and ammunition clips, untouched, or at least it looked that way. 'Sweet,' Sheppard breathed, letting Ronon reclaim his energy magnum before daring to reach in and grab his sidearm, still clipped into his thigh holster. Far be it from him to come between the Satedan and his weapon. He saw their tac vests folded in at the bottom and rummaged through to find his, pausing only briefly as his hands fell first on Teyla's. It awaked a pang of sadness, but he refused to let himself be distracted. All of these things would help in their mission to find her. He couldn't let sentimentality overwhelm him now. When he found his own vest, he slipped it on. It hung a little loose, but it still gave him a feeling of familiarity that was long overdue. A block of C4 weighed comfortingly heavy in one pocket. It was a good feeling. He set to work digging our Mehra's gear, too, along with a couple of the P-90s that lurked right down at the bottom of the box.

'And we retrieved most of Akalus' work,' Rodney added, patting some consoles stacked to one side of the hold. 'I'll go through it once we're in the Ancient facility, save anything useful and wipe the rest. Better safe than sorry.'

Sheppard nodded, watching Ronon checking over his beloved weapon. His joy, though muted, clearly sparkled in his eyes. That gun had gotten him out of many potentially life-ending situations. It had to feel good to have it back. 'You did real good…all of you.'

A second later and Ronon's gun was aimed at the open hatch, arm rigid and ready to fire.

Sheppard spun around to find Mishta, hands raised, standing in the opening. 'Do you welcome all your friends that way?' she asked, humour mixed with tension in her voice.

Relaxing, Ronon lowered his weapon and got on with digging through the crate to see what else he could discover in there.

'How'd you find us?' Sheppard asked, untangling Mehra's thigh holster from the pile of weapons.

'Please!' she scoffed, folding her arms as she stared back at him. 'Were you even trying to be stealthy? You left a trail even a youngling could follow.'

He tried not to be offended at that, ambling over her way with Mehra's gear now slung over his shoulder. 'So, what's up? Worried we'd left already?'

'Hardly…not without your females,' she scoffed. 'And speaking of females, the little wretch you rescued is somewhat upset that you aren't where she left you. Bad Sheppard, wandering off like that without asking for her permission.'

He ignored the jibe. 'Mehra can handle it.'

'Mehra is the one who sent me to look for you. The child seems quite…attached to you already,' she remarked with a kind of affected indifference that hinted more at thinly contained jealousy. He hated to admit the thought pleased him.

He gave her a wry smile. 'You noticed that?'

The smile she gave in return was tight and humourless. 'It's hard to miss.' Her eyes roved over his new attire. 'What's this?' she asked, poking at one of the pockets on his tac-vest.

'Combat uniform,' he replied, adjusting the fit so it sat snug against his body.

Her violet eyes flicked back up to meet his. 'Looking for a fight?'

'No…just ready for one.' He checked the magazine in his gun now. It was still full, just as he'd loaded it before setting off on his last mission almost seven months ago. It had been a peaceful operation, so there had been no requirement to discharge it. Then the Kheprians had overwhelmed them so easily he hadn't had the chance to use it.

Mishta edged in closer, clearly intrigued. He held the magazine out where she could see it. 'They're called bullets.'

She took it from his palm, pushed one out and held it up in the daylight pouring in through the hatch to get a better look at it. 'What does it do?'

'You fire them from this,' he explained, holding up the gun so she could see the hollow barrel, 'and they put a hole in things.'

She slid her gaze from the gun to his eyes. 'Isn't that…messy?' she asked with an instinctive curl of her lip.

'Yeah, but, when I'm firing on something like the Wraith…or the Reliquiae as you know them, that's the least of my concerns.'

She made a face and passed the clip and the liberated bullet back to him. He returned the bullet to its vacant slot and reloaded his weapon, sliding it into his thigh holster while giving her a lop-sided smile. 'Guess I won't be reliant on your generosity to defend myself anymore.'

Mishta threw him a sour look, and casually flicked her hair back over her shoulder as if his words didn't worry her. 'That was for your own good. Now, are you coming back to the cave or do I have to knock that human child out to stop her whining?'

Sheppard heard Ronon snort out a chuckle, but he refused to let his own amusement show. 'Wow…that generosity of yours is in real short supply these days.'

'It's either me or your friend Mehra…I imagine it would be easier all round if it's the weird alien hybrid who does the deed,' she replied, matter of fact.

A twinge of discomfort hit his stomach at her use of 'weird'. He'd come across a lot of weird things during his stay in Pegasus, but she wasn't one of them. Far from it. I'll come back.' He looked over his shoulder at the others. 'You guys coming?'

'I thought I'd stay and do some work on the jumper…the sooner we have her up and running the better, right?' McKay muttered, already lost in wiring and damaged circuitry.

'I'll hang around…keep an eye on him,' Ronon instantly chimed in.

Sheppard knew that Ronon was having trouble completely trusting the Kheprians after everything he'd been through in Phylacos and was probably worried Hakkar would sabotage Rodney's attempts to revive the jumper to full functionality. He didn't share those concerns but understood Ronon's need to play sentinel.

'Okay…see you back there later then,' he replied, gesturing for Mishta to lead the way.

It was a warm afternoon reminiscent of early summer in Pennsylvania where he'd grown up as a child. A gentle breeze wove through the trees, rustling leaves and underbrush and carrying the scents of the forest on its flow. He breathed deep, savouring the smells, conscious of Mishta's own aroma mingling in with the perfumes of the vegetation. The dappled sunlight played on her red locks, the brilliant fiery tones alight in its warming rays. She looked stunning, and for a moment he forgot the anger and awkwardness of what had happened between them at the pool and imagined pulling her into his arms and trying to pick up where they'd left off.

As if sensing him watching her she turned to look at him, her bright eyes searching his expression with genuine curiosity. 'What? Do I have multash growing out of my ears or something?'

He had no idea what multash was, but the phrase had an oddly human turn to it. He supposed it was one she'd learned from her father. 'Nope…I was just keeping an eye on you…especially now I know you're some kind of child-beater.'

She tried very hard not to smirk, but he caught sight of the corners of her mouth twitching with the effort. 'She is very…needy.'

'She's just a kid…and we don't know how long she spent in Phylacos away from anyone who cared about her. We can't blame her for being screwed up.'

She quirked an eyebrow, and he realised she probably didn't understand what he meant.

'She's probably sad because she misses her home,' he clarified.

Mishta nodded, subtly moving closer as she picked her way through the overgrown forest floor. 'I suppose she must…This world is no place for someone so young and defenceless. You obviously make her feel safe.'

'To be honest, she'd be better on Balsandar with the other humans, out of harm's way.'

'She would,' Mishta agreed, plucking a long stalk of seeding grass and playing with it as they continued on their way. 'Yet I somehow doubt you will be able to convince her of that fact.'

'She can come with us tomorrow…but we'll work on her. See if we can't change her mind.' A definite quiet descended on Mishta, and he realised he'd once again touched on the subject that was causing the underlying tension between them without even meaning to. 'I know you don't think we should leave –'

'It's not that I don't think you should,' she interrupted, immediately defensive. 'I understand your reasoning…even agree with it to a degree…but…I worry for you. All of you.'

Her gaze had dropped to the grass she still clutched in her fingers, which she was now absent-mindedly snapping into tiny pieces. She was agitated, genuinely upset at the thought of him leaving the safety of their camp. Had he misread her intentions? It wouldn't be the first time.

'We'll be ok. You saw how that place came alive for me…we can use the tech there to defend ourselves.'

'Technology is no replacement for the survival instinct,' she mumbled, casting aside what was left of the shredded blade before plucking another and setting to work on it.

'Well, luckily we have that in bucketloads too,' he quipped. 'We're notoriously difficult to kill.'

She glanced his way, but he could see she didn't share his hopeful good humour. Her body was tense while at the same time betraying both sadness and fear. She was clearly worried for them…for him. Maybe her attempts at seduction that morning hadn't been entirely for selfish reasons after all. Perhaps she'd thought the temptation to remain would keep him safe from the various predators just waiting for a chance to strike. 'You don't understand our world,' she told him. 'That technology may have been advanced enough to protect you once, but now…' Another brief glance, and perhaps a hint of tears. 'If someone finds out there are humans in the Greekaf caves, they will find a way to get to you, no matter how safe you think you are.'

Unsure what to say, he fell silent, only the sound of their footfalls filling the void. Everything she said made sense. It was a risky move to leave the protection of the Birajans, but his instinct…the very thing she said was so important to survival, kept telling him it was the right thing to do. And part of him conceded that the reasoning included his desire to protect her. He couldn't bear the thought she might get hurt because someone came after him.

'I'm sorry this upsets you, Mishta,' he said softly, trying not to antagonise her. 'I know you mean well, but you have to understand this is the best thing for your people, don't you?'

She didn't reply, but she didn't argue either, something that he took as a sign she agreed with him, at least at some level.

'I hope you find your friend, I really do,' she eventually said, surprising him by the change in topic.

'Yeah, me too.'

'She seemed warm…caring. I know she will make sure you get the care you need when you get home. Birajans aren't like that…they rarely show their emotions. It's considered primitive.'

He knew this already. Lansha had explained it to him not long after they' first met. It was the reason he medicated Mishta, to make her fit in. Yet he noticed Marmotah didn't seem to mind letting his feelings show and that was somehow just accepted.

'After the explosion, when we both cared for you, I felt connected to her…I suppose I feel connected to all of you, really. After years of denying what I am…at least the human part of me…I realised the things I felt were a part of my human heritage, not a fault or something to be forced down and ignored. It's hard to…to give that up again.'

He stopped, catching hold of her arm to stop her, too. 'You don't have to. I'll talk to Lansha, make him understand that it's okay to be human…for him, too.'

A weak smile ghosted across her pretty features, but was gone just as quickly as it appeared. 'And he might even listen to you…until you're gone, and the pressure of tradition weighs heavy on his shoulders again.'

'You never know…after everything that's happened lately, maybe his priorities have changed.'

'Perhaps,' she murmured, but she didn't seem convinced. 'Anyway, we should get you back to the cave before that child tears the place apart looking for you.'

She set off, and he hesitated a second or two, wrestling with his guilt. He wasn't hopeful about Lansha, either, and he wanted to tell her she could leave with him, live her life exactly as she wanted to on Atlantis, but he had no idea what effect that might have on their timeline or whether she could make that journey back at all. But there had to be something he could say to bring her some happiness. He hated to see her so crestfallen.

'Mishta… Wait u –'

A sudden fit of coughing gripped him, doubling him over. He struggled to get his breath, feeling as though he was choking as his vision greyed out. Everything around him seemed to fall away, even Mishta's concern seemed muffled as she grabbed hold of him and helped to steady his buckling knees. When he drew his hand away from his mouth, he saw a splash of red on his palm, quickly concealing it from Mishta's view.

'John! John! Are you all right?'

Her voice became clearer as the coughing subsided and his breathing returned to normal. Colour returned to the forest, and he became more aware of the sounds of the plants rustling and small animals scurrying around than he had been before. As quickly as it had descended on him, the bout of illness passed, and he felt in control again.

Mishta slowly released her grip on him, gently stroking his back until he flinched and she remembered his injuries. 'I'm sorry…I didn't mean –'

He waved her apology away. 'I'm fine. Let's get going.'

The doubt in her eyes was clear to see, as was her anxiety. He felt guilty for adding more worries to her already heavy heart, so pinned on a smile. 'Come on…we have to get back to Jemma before Mehra does something drastic.'

Again, the merest hint of a smile touched her lips, but she couldn't maintain it, picking up her pace to walk the rest of the journey at his side. He tried to hide how he felt, but an ache was setting in, deep in his bones, dull for now, but noticeable. The sickness was progressing at a pace far faster than it had gripped him before, and for the first time he allowed himself to wonder if he would actually be able to see through his promise to Teyla before it was too late for him.

A/N: Thanks to all those of you reading and reviewing. I'd like to especially thank my guest reviewer here as I can't answer you directly. I'm happy to have inspired someone to give the show a watch. :)